GREEN BAY - Four people are being charged in Milwaukee County in connection to the February 2017 disappearance of a Green Bay man, who is presumed dead.

Emma M. Brud of De Pere, 19; Brandan L. Guyton-Denn of Green Bay, 19; Shawn M. Leitner of Manitowoc, 19; and Jaleel A. Schultz of Milwaukee, 19, have all been charged in connection with the death of Jovanny Hector Puga on Feb. 25, 2017, in Glendale.

Guyton-Denn, Schultz and Leitner are each facing a felony count of first-degree reckless homicide.

Brud has been charged with a felony count of harboring or aiding a felon by hiding physical evidence.

During a Wednesday press conference at the Green Bay Police Department, Detective Brad Linzmeier said Puga was reported missing in March 2017. Six months later, detectives began receiving tips about the case.

“Someone was overhearing another person talking about it,” he said. “That something significant happened to the victim.”

Brud(Photo: Courtesy of Brown County Jail)

According to the criminal complaint:

Guyton-Denn was upset with Puga, 18, for beating up a 15-year-old friend. One witness said Guyton-Denn planned to beat up Puga in retaliation.

Guyton-Denn asked Brud, whom he was dating, to take Puga from Green Bay to a home in the 4500 block of North 84th Street in Milwaukee. Guyton-Denn and Leitner were staying at the home.

Brud knew of the plan when she took Puga to Milwaukee, and the men used her car to take Puga to Lincoln Park in Glendale.

Guyton-Denn, Schultz and Leitner beat Puga, including stomping on his face before forcing him to undress. The men gave him the choice of continuing to be beaten or swim the river.

Guyton-Denn told police Schultz forced Puga to undress. Then Schultz and another male, not named in the complaint, tossed Puga into the river.

Puga attempted to get out and Schultz forced him to stay in the water. Puga eventually stopped trying to get out and the teens left him there and returned to the 84th Street house.

Leitner(Photo: Courtesy of Milwaukee County Jail)

The men had Puga's clothes, backpack, cellphone and broken necklace, which broke after it was ripped from his neck. The three men divided Puga's belongings and gave his blood-spattered clothes to Brud to be burned. Brud later disposed of the clothes.

Puga was reported missing by his family in early March 2017, according to Linzmeier, who oversaw the Green Bay portion of the case. The Green Bay department worked with the Glendale Police Department over the course of almost 18 months.

On March 24, 2017, West Bend Police stopped a car with Guyton-Glenn, Leitner and Schultz inside. The car was reported stolen by Brud's mother. At the time their phones were confiscated and searched. Searches turned up photos of Puga and searches related to homicides in Milwaukee.

On Sept. 19, 2018, Leitner showed Glendale Police where the group left Puga at the park. Puga's body has not been found, and he is presumed dead.

Linzmeier on Wednesday said he has talked with Puga's family following the revelations.

“I spoke with his mother on the day these arrests were made," he said. "I think there was some relief for her. Obviously, not total closure she has a loved one where she doesn’t know where he is.”

According to online court records, Leitner and Guyton-Denn's bonds have been set at $100,000.